Short Synopsis
Cobblestones, Conversations and Corks is a passionate and deeply moving story about a father-son relationship; a culture rooted in family, food, and wine; and an ancestral small town in Central Italy that was left behind after World War II.

Full Synopsis
On November 11, 1943, the Nazis invaded Cansano, forcing its two thousand inhabitants to make a tough decision—fight and be killed or sent to a POW camp, stay behind as servants to the Nazis, or move into the unforgiving mountains of Abruzzo while the Nazis used their village as a home base. Giovanni Ruscitti's family chose the latter and spent the next few months living in horrendous winter conditions in the rugged mountains. When the war ended, they returned to a village so ravaged by the Nazis that, today, the town has less than two hundred citizens and remains in a dilapidated state.

In this memoir, Ruscitti visits Cansano for the first time with his family, including parents Emiliano and Maria. As he walks Cansano's cobblestones, his father's stories and life are illuminated by the town piazza, the steep valley, and the surrounding mountains. He relives the tales of his parents' struggles during World War II, their extreme post-war misery and poverty, their budding romance after, and their decision to immigrate to the US in search of the American Dream.

Ruscitti's adventure is not just an exploration of his homeland but reveals what family, culture, wisdom, and love really means. And what our heritage really tells us about who we are.

"Moving memoir…should resonate with readers similarly gripped by the struggle to understand their origins. A captivating, candid, and insightful account about a man's Italian heritage." —Kirkus Reviews

"A deftly scripted, inherently engaging, and ultimately inspiring account of the impact of war upon a community and a family. . . . A compelling read from cover to cover." —Midwest Book Review

"At the end of the day, Ruscitti proves that not only can you go home again, you can also go home for the first time." —Manhattan Book Review

"This touching and inspirational book is a must-read for all walks of life. The United States was built from immigrant families with these shared experiences." —Bobby Stuckey, James Beard Award winner, and author of Friuli Food and Wine: Frasca Cooking from Northern Italy's Mountains, Vineyards, and Seaside

"Giovanni Ruscitti's book is an eloquent and poetic tribute to his father and his family. It's a work of art that made me laugh and cry." —Vic Lombardi, thirty-three-time Emmy-winning sportscaster

"I'm in the middle of the NFL playoffs and couldn't put the book down. I had to finish it. Readers will love Ruscitti's book!" —Mike Shanahan, two-time Super Bowl champion head coach